Financial Times

EU reiterates support for conflict-affected displaced
Isn’t it nice that in this world of seemingly closed books when it comes to progress reports to do with disaster activities that there is an organisation that is only too happy to tell you how it is, and back it up.

The organisation is the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), and its’ Regional Information Officer, Ms Claire Barrault, was in town last week to lead the briefing, assisted by Mr. David Verboom, Head of Office, ECHO – Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The briefing wasn’t solely about the tsunami; it was also to remind those attending that there were still thousands of conflict-displaced people that still needed (and were getting) humanitarian aid.

Ms Barrault said that the European Union (EU) had been in the country since 1994, so it wasn’t a mercy dash after the tsunami, and that the department had already built up a good working relationship with a number of aid agencies and NGOs present on the island. Since first setting foot in Sri Lanka, nearly 87 million euros have been spent on humanitarian aid, with the bulk arriving last year (37.7 million euros).

For the most part, according to Mr. Verboom, ECHO has been looking after 800,000 displaced people due to the insurgency, predominantly in the north. After the ceasefire, he said around 400,000 returned, only for the same number again to flee in the aftermath of the tsunami. The EU aid organisation has also been helping the 60,000 refugees in Tamil Nadu in India, of which around 5,000 have returned since the ceasefire.

For those returning after the ceasefire, ECHO was instrumental in helping with relocation, resettlements, ensuring that the infrastructure was up and running, as well as helping find employment. Since the tsunami disaster there has been a greater need to act quickly, but safely, as well as following government and LTTE guidelines as to what can and what cannot be done, such as building size and village amenities.

Ms. Barrault and Mr. Verboom both said that the aid given is mainly short-term; ensuring that the basic needs get sorted out quickly, as in food, drinking water, sanitation and transitional shelters.

Problems that have arisen over the last year have been those of inequality between conflict- and tsunami-aid victims, where problems arise over, say, house sizes; where aid agencies and NGOs dedicated to the aftermath of the tsunami are building more spacious houses than those displaced due to the insurgency. “It is important to maintain equity to stop unnecessary problems arising,” Mr. Verboom said.

He said every agency ECHO decides to work with is carefully assessed to ensure their work is of an acceptable standard to the department.
“Most of the agencies we work with were here before the tsunami so they know what it needed. They know the environment, the culture,” Ms Barrault said.
Mr. Verboom said ECHO works for quality so that the money spent gives those people in need the best aid possible. “At this time we are looking to phase out operations in the south, but will continue with our presence in the north, especially dealing with the displaced Muslims in Puttalam,” he added.

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